Android 11 is the next update to the Android operating system that is expected to roll out to phones in late 2020, however a public beta version is now available for download, giving users a first look into the future of Android phones. . In addition to all the new features in Android 11 that we know of, XDA Developers discovered an additional surprise hidden in the code: a collection of 84 game controllers are now compatible with the operating system. This means that if you connect them via Bluetooth or cables, you can use them to control your phone without touching the screen. For the most part, the list isn't entirely interesting, mostly made up of third-party Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers and custom variants, but if you dig deeper into the list, there are actually some really weird controllers that are compatible with Android. 11. To be clear, not only can the controllers connect to your Android 11 phone, but they will also allow you to control it, which, given some of the strange options on this list, we're very curious to see at work. Read on for the six weirdest game controllers you can use to control your Android 11 phone.
Harmonix Rock Band Guitar
One of the less weird controllers you can use with your Android 11 phone (which is really saying something about the other entries on this list) is the plastic guitar you needed to play the 2007 Harmonix Rock Band game and its sequels. Like the well-known Guitar Hero guitars, the main buttons on this little plastic guitar are four large ones on the neck (the light brown part of the picture), as well as some dials, an effects switch, the whammy bar (this long metal stick) and a strum bar (this black and white thing under the neck. Suffice to say it was a controller designed to emulate the guitar, not to control your smartphone. If you have one, it looks like you can now use it to browsing social media and answering calls, and given the kind of rhythm action that was cooked up a few years back, it's probably going to be the most used in a long time. It should be noted that only the official Harmonix Rock Band guitar appears to work, not third-party versions, but there is another toy guitar that works, which we will explain below.Hori Xbox 360 Dead or Alive 4 Arcade Stick
Next on our list is a periperhal sold out to Xbox 360 gamers on the fighting game Dead or Alive 4, designed to mimic the styles of controllers you'd find in an arcade to appeal to the true hardcore fans. Needless to say, this is a pretty niche audience, and it doesn't seem like this arcade stick is widely available, so we could only find a low-res image. Compared to some of the other controllers on this list, we can imagine how it would actually function as an Android 11 controller: it does have a joystick and a few buttons, after all, though it's unclear how a piece of plastic with six buttons and a joystick decorated with stickers will greatly enhance your phone experience. Hori also made a similar controller for Soul Calibur V and a few other arcade-style sticks for the Xbox 360, which also support Android 11, some of which will have a few more buttons.Mad Catz Beat Pad
Mad Catz is a prolific maker of gaming peripherals, and by that we don't just mean 'standard console controllers' - the Beat Pad is a controller designed for dance games, similar to the arcade game Dance Dance Revolution, that lets you jump and dance to control the game. Well, this Beat Pad also works with your Android 11 smartphone, so you can scroll through menus and text your grandparents while jumping around like a kid who's had too much cola. Of all the entries on this list, the Beat Pad is arguably the strangest, and it's also the one we're most interested in in action for controlling an Android 11 phone. Could this be a way to keep fit while browsing Instagram? Could be.Saitek Aviator Stick AV8R02
Based on our investigation, it appears that Saitek's AV8R02 aviator device was a device designed for use with the Xbox 360 and PS3 game ``Damage Inc''; Either way, it was probably intended for use by flight sim fans only, and it doesn't seem like much was done. It's funny, then, that this is, at first glance, the only flight sim controller to work with Android 11. Of course, "funny" might be the defining characteristic of the ideas on this list. It's also a wired device, so if you have one, you'll need an adapter to make it work with your phone.Mad Catz Portable Drum
The Beat Pad wasn't the only Mad Catz controller on the Android 11 compatibility list, and it wasn't the only outsider either. As an example, this portable wired drum machine designed for use in rhythm action games, which can now be controlled by your phone as well. We honestly don't know how it would work, but we'd like to see someone try it out. YouTube videos of people using battery monitors to finish popular video games are also hugely popular, so they could open the door for mobile gaming as well. Call of Duty: Mobile using only drum machines, anyone? As mentioned, this is a wired device, and it's certainly not as portable as the other controllers on this list because you have to set it up. However, if you like to control your phones in a weird way, the Mad Catz Portable Drum lets you do just that.RedOctane Guitar Hero X-plorer
According to the Guitar Hero Wiki (which is apparently a thing), the RedOctane X-plorer controller came with the Xbox 360 port of Guitar Hero 2, which released months after the game started on the PlayStation 2, although it works with most. of the music games on the console. This is another guitar controller, similar to the Harmonix one mentioned above, except it's hardwired and not modeled on the beautiful Fender Stratocaster. As with this other guitar, we don't know how it would perform on a real Android 11 smartphone, especially since it has even fewer controls than the equivalent Rock Band. It seems strange that so many musical instruments can be used to control Android 11, in addition to the many game controllers, and it's a shame that most of the listed devices are no longer available for purchase on the internet. If you have any of the above, you will surely have a new way of using your smartphone. If you have one of the drivers listed (or one of the other new drivers listed on the XDA Developers website), apparently you can use it to control Android 11, or maybe sometime in the future. These are the phones that currently allow you to test the Android 11 beta. It should be noted that we weren't able to verify if these drivers work, however, and that their functionality comes with a full rollout later in 2020. Google's best current deals Pixel 3a, Google Pixel 4 and OnePlus 8 Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts 1GBdata
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